Five ways that cutting carbon helps you (besides creating a healthy planet)

Posted on

25 April 2016

1.Saving money

Many of the best ways to reduce emissions and energy use also help our bank accounts. Investing in efficient appliances and office equipment reduces electricity usage. Encouraging energy saving behaviour in the workplace like turning off the lights and efficient use of air conditioning can also save a lot of money, especially in a hot climate! Another opportunity is lower-carbon travel. Frequent long-haul flights add up. Businesses can encourage staff to hold more meetings virtually, or schedule meetings to avoid repeat trips to the same location.

2.Reducing traffic

For those of us living in a city, traffic is often a big problem! By walking, bicycling, riding public transit, or car-pooling, we cut carbon while also reducing the volume of traffic on the road. This means there is more space for everyone and helps us move around faster.

3.Encouraging an active lifestyle

We don’t always exercise as much as we want to and using alternative forms of transportation is a way to help the planet and our health. This useful calculator shows how many calories you will burn while walking, while this one reveals how much carbon pollution is created by taking a car or moto the same distance.

4.Breathing cleaner air

Reducing traffic and saving energy in our homes and businesses also creates cleaner air. Burning fossil fuels releases air pollution that affects our health as well as the climate. Yet another reason to limit global warming is that hotter temperatures make air pollution more severe. For many people who cook with wood or charcoal, a more efficient stove is a great way to improve air quality with fewer carbon emissions.

5.Creating sustainable jobs

We know that enormous effort is required to #ChangeClimateChange. This means we will need new skills, strategies, and ways of living and doing business. All of this presents a tremendous opportunity for new sustainable jobs. From building new energy projects like wind and solar, to companies developing low-carbon products, to waste management solutions that keep emissions out of the atmosphere, the possibilities for new jobs and the training of skilled workers are vast. Climate change is a global issue that will require solutions and participation of people from all over the world.

About Nexus: Nexus exists to open doors for development. We collaborate with project developers and social entrepreneurs to maximize environmental and community benefits. We also work with partners around the world, creating innovative financial tools and connecting businesses with projects that are making a difference. Nexus’ services include providing loans and grants that fill key funding gaps, technical consultancy on clean energy technologies and project feasibility, selling carbon credits from award-winning projects, and performing carbon foot-printing services. More information available at: http://www.nexusfordevelopment.org/

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Children planting trees at their school in Kompong Thom Province; every tree planted helps in the fight against climate change